Blast furnace charging regulator



1953 c. A. JANNER 2,847,133

BLAST FURNACE CHARGING REGULATOR Filed Aug. 19, 1953 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 0/4/9455 4 J4/V/V58,

c. A. JANNER 2,847,133

BLAST FURNACE CHARGING REGULATOR 2 Sheets-Sheet. 2

Aug. 12, 1958 Filed Aug. 19. 1953 FIG. 2. 1 ,L2

5UP H057 4N0 -42 14/965515 CONTROL 17112692507": /421 554 Jam 5 g-MA & mam

United States Patent M BLAST FURNACE CHARGING REGULATOR Charles A. Janner, Chicago, Ill.

Application August 19, 1953, Serial No. 375,228

3 Claims. (Cl. 2'14-19) This invention relates to a blast furnace charging regulator and more particularly to a regulator for controlling the height of the charge in the furnace and the flow of coke, limestone and iron ore to the top of the furnace. Prior to my invention it was common practice for the blast furnace operator to manually control the flow of the charge to the blast furnace. In so doing he would start the skip hoist in operation and this automatically caused the big bell to lower, thus discharging the charge into the blast furnace. As soon as the charge is released the big bell was raised. The skip hoist continued its travels up and down with the charge being dumped onto the large bell in the usual manner. The skip hoist then automatically stopped traveling with the charge remaining on the big bell until the operator again decided that it was time to add the charge to the furnace. This resulted in a haphazard charging of the furnace so that the level of the charge varied greatly with resultant non uniform operation of the furnace.

It is therefore an object of my invention to provide a device for automatically charging the furnace to maintain a pre-selected level of the charge therein.

This and other objects will be more apparent after referring to the following specification and attached drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a schematic view of a blast furnace showing the application of my invention thereto; and

Figure 2 is a schematic wiring diagram showing my invention.

Referring more particularly to the drawings, the reference numeral2 indicates the top of a blast furnace having the usual large bell 4 and small bell 6 mounted thereon. A test rod 8 extends downwardly alongside the large bell 4 to the top of the charge C in the furnace. The test rod 8 is connected by means of a cable 10 to the handle 12 of a switch 14. A skip hoist 16 travels up a skip bridge 18 to the top of the furnace and returns after dumping its charge on the small bell 6. The charge is dumped into the skip hoist 16 from a larry car 20. The operation of the skip hoist and large bell is regulated by means of the usual control 22 in the manner described above. As shown in Figure 2 control 22 is arranged in series with normally open contacts 24C. When the contact 24C is closed the circuit is completed from the line L1 through the control 22 to the line L2, thus starting the control in operation. A manually operated switch 26 is connected in parallel with the contact 24C so that the control 22 can be actuated manually if it becomes necessary to do so. The contact 24C is operated by a relay coil 24 which is connected in series with a normally open contact 28C and a selector switch 30. The selector switch 30 has a movable arm 32 and a number of taps 34 which are connected to corresponding leads 36 connected to the switch 14 which has a corresponding number of taps 38. A wire 40 leads from the switch 14 to the line L2. A number of lights 42 are connected in parallel to the wire 44 and to the leads 36. The numbers on the lights 42 indicate the 2,847,133 Patented Aug. 12, 1958 distance the stock is below the maximum stock line of the furnace. Any number of lights 42 may be used. Relay coil 24 is provided with a normally closed contact 24C which is connected in series with relay coil 28, release button 46 and set button 48. The relay coil 28 is provided with a second normally open contact 28C which is connected in parallel with the set button 48.

The operation of my device is as follows.

Assuming that it is desired to charge the furnace as soon as the stock line is 10 feet below the maximum stock line, the handle 32 is moved to the position shown in Figure 2 and the set button 48 is depressed to complete the circuit through contact 24C, relay coil 28 and release button 46. This energizes relay coil 28 and closes its contacts 28C and 28C. The set button 48 is then released and the relay 28 is energized through its closed contact 28C. The relay 28 is preferably a time delay relay so that it will not open its contact 28C and deenergize relay 24 until contact 24C has been closed a sufficient length of time to start control 22 in operation.

If the charge at this time is 8 feet below the maximum stock line the handle 12 will be moved by the test rod 8 to the tap on the switch 14 corresponding to eight feet. This completes a circuit from the line Ll through wire 44, light 42 having the indication 8, corresponding lead 36, corresponding contact 38, and wire 40 to the line L2. As the stock level lowers successive lights 42 will be energized, thus indicating the height of the stock level. It will be understood that the number of lights 42 actually used may vary depending upon the amount the stock level varies. In actual practice lights would be provided every two feet from the maximum stock line. When the stock level reaches a point 10 feet below the level of the maximum stock line not only will the light 10 be energized but a circuit will be completed from the line L1 through coil 24, closed contact 28C, arm 32, associated leads 34 and 36, switch 14, and Wire 48 to the line L2. This energizes relay 24, thus causing its contact 24C to close and its contact 24C to open. Opening of contact 24C de-energizes relay 28, thus returning its circuit to its original condition. Closingof contact 24C completes the circuit to the skip hoist and large bell control 22 to start it in operation. The control is such that it will continue in operation after contact 24C opens. Control 22 causes the skip hoist 16 to start its upward travel and at the same time opens large hell 4 and permits the charge thereon to drop into the furnace, thus raising the level of the stock line. The large bell then automatically. closes and skip hoist 16 continues to travel up and down the skip bridge 18 with its various loads of material until the charge is resting on the large bell 4. The operator then depresses the button 48 to set the control for repeating its cycle. If the button 48 is inadvertently closed the circuit can be interrupted by means of the release button 46.

While one embodiment of my invention has been shown and described it will be apparent that other adaptations and modifications may be made without departing from the scope of the following claims.

I claim:

1. In a blast furnace having a large bell, a skip hoist forcharging raw materials onto said large bell, an electrical control for controlling operation of said skip hoist and said large bell, and means for indicating the height of the charge beneath said large bell; the combination including a switch operable by said indicating means when the charge reaches a predetermined minimum level, means for changing the level at which said switch is operated, a relay coil in series with said switch, and a normally open contact operable by said relay coil to complete a circuit to said electrical control to initiate operation thereof.

2. In a blast furnace having'a large bell, a skip hoist for charging raw materials onto said large bell, an electrical control for controlling operation of said skip hoist and said large bell, and means for indicating the height of the charge beneath said large'bell; the combination including a switch operable by said indicating means when the charge reaches a predetermined minimum level, means for changing the level at which said switch is operated, a relay coil and a normally open contact in series with said switch, a normally open contact operable by said relay coil to complete a circuit to said electrical control to initiate operation thereof, a second relay coil for operating said first contact, a normally open contact operable by said second relay coil connected in series with said second relay coil, a switch connected in parallel with said last named contact, and a normally closed contact operable by said first named relay coil connected in series with said second relay coil.

3. In a blast furnace having a large bell, a skip hoist for charging raw materials onto said large bell, an electrical control for controlling operation of said skip hoist and said'large bell,- and-means for indicating the height of the charge beneath said large bell; the combination including a selector switch operable by said indicating means when the charge reaches a predetermined minimum level, means for changing the level at which said switch is operated, a relay coil and a normally open contact in series with saidswitch, a normally open contact operable by said relay coil to complete a circuit to said electrical control to initiate operation thereof, a time delay relay coil for operating said first contact, a normally open contact operable by said time delay relay coil connected in series with said time delay relay coil, a switch connected in parallel with said last named contact, a release button connected in series with said last named contact and a normally closed contact operable by said first named relay coil and connected in series with said time delay relay coil.

References Cited in the file ofthis patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,096,567 Smith Oct. 19, 1937 

